Little Flower
by TheUltimatePrankster
Summary: A reflective oneshot He died and left behind a daughter and a wife. Now they have to cope with his loss.


**Little Flower**

**Oneshot**

She was their child. She was _their _daughter, but Kagome had to raise her alone. He had died protecting them. It was the only cause that he said was worth dying for. His funeral was elegant, but small. That was he way that he would have liked it to be. His grave was marked under the Sacred Tree, in both his time and hers. It was the same place that Kagome wanted to lay whenever she died. She glanced up from the dishes that she was in the process of washing, out the window toward he Sacred Tree.

On the lowest branch was their little girl, peering down at her father's grave. Kagome could see many similarities in between her daughter and her husband. She grew fond of red, which was just like her father. It was the color of the spring dress that she was wearing at the moment. She would always sit up in trees quite often. When Kagome asked why, she said that it calmed down her mind and gave her time to think. Of course, those weren't the only similarities in between her daughter and her husband. As her mother put it, 'There's no mistake that she's Inuyasha's daughter, but at the same time, no doubting that she's a Higurashi.' She had Kagome's frame, small, but strong. She had the same hair as Kagome, long, dark, and full. Yet, she picked up many of her father's traits. She had the same bright golden orbs as Inuyasha did. Along with those, she inherited her father's ears, though they were dark instead of silver. If one thing could be said about the girl, she had an interesting personality.

She had Kagome's fiery spirit and Inuyasha's hot-temper. Yet, she has cool, calm, and collected most of the time. She loved to learn. Her room was full of books. Also, she was free spirited. She was happy, but yet so sad. It was as if she was a pessimist in an optimist's body. Kagome sighed and leaned against the counter. She put her elbows against the tile counter top and her head in her hands. A solitary tear rolled down her cheek. She felt an comforting hand placed on her shoulder. Kagome turned to see who it was, though she really didn't need to. After all, blood runs thicker than water.

"You know that he wouldn't want you to be crying." Souta said. Kagome nodded. Souta wasn't such a little boy anymore. He had grown up into a mature, responsible man. After Inuyasha's departure, he'd helped Kagome out a lot. He had moved out of his mother's house and into Kagome's to give her some support. Of course, he'd helped in raising little Sakura. In he meantime, he was working a job and going to school. Kagome realized how hectic his life was.

"I know that he wouldn't want me to be."

"He always hated it when you cried." Kagome looked up at him.

"How do you know that?"

"Well, he always had that hang-dog look whenever he figured out that you were." Kagome smiled sadly. "Plus, he told me so." She looked skeptically at him.

"He told you?"

"Well, not straight out. It was more subtle like 'Damn wench. I go get a little scratch and she runs off and starts crying on me.' Of course, he actually had a hole through his gut and couldn't walk or breathe properly, but that's just Inuyasha. Kagome laughed, despite herself.

"That must have been before Sakura was born. Do you remember how he would restricted himself from cursing in front of the baby?" Souta laughed.

"Oh, yeah. I didn't let that one go without commenting on how he became a softy." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure that he gave you what he thought you deserved, too." Souta nodded. "Souta, I never thanked you for all you've done. I -" Souta raised his hands.

"No need to thank me. It's not like I was going to run off and abandon you." He said as he crossed his arms across his chest and looked away. Kagome shook her head in amusement. Inuyasha might have been gone, but he had left impressions on all of those he met. Souta was a prime example of that. Ever since he was little he admired Inuyasha. Now, ever though his hero was gone, traces of his characteristics were picked up. She could see it in herself, in Sakura, and in Souta. His stance at that moment reminded her of him.

"You know, I see a lot of Inuyasha in you." She said as she glanced back out the window. Her smile faded as she saw her daughter still outside. Souta followed her gaze.

"I'll go to her." e offered as he moved toward the door, but Kagome stopped him.

"No, Souta. You've done enough." She caught her brother off-guard and gave him a heartfelt hug. Souta staggered for a moment, but eventually returned it. Kagome pulled away from him and opened the door.

"Remember not to do that again." Souta shouted as she shut the door quickly. Kagome gave off a small laugh, but quickly ended it. She began making her way slowly across the courtyard to her daughter. She could see the look that her daughter had in her eye whenever she looked up. It was the same look that Inuyasha had in his eyes whenever they met. Slight anger, mixed with pain. She sat in the tree with her back against the trunk. Whenever Kagome reached the grave, she kneeled in front of it. With a silent prayer for courage and patience, she looked up at her daughter. Kagome extended her hand out to her. Sakura obediently jumped down and went to her mother's side. She sat down on her mother's extended knee. Kagome put her arms around her little girl and kissed the top of her head.

"Do you remember him, Sakura?"

"Not too much... I remember bits and pieces. Why does everyone else have a papa, but I don't?" She said. Kagome could hear the anger mixed into her voice.

"He died, Sakura. He died trying to protect us."

"Uncle Souta told me that. He told he that he was strong and protective."

"That he was. As much as he was a strong person and a hero though, he had a soft side. Your father... He was a very loving man. As much as he hated admitting it in the company of others, he loved us very much."

"Do you have your picture of him, mama?" Kagome nodded. She took out her wallet and took out one of the few picture that she had of him. Sakura looked closely at the picture.

"I got his eyes."

"You have his eyes." Kagome corrected.

"I have his eyes." Sakura said with as much sarcasm as she could muster. Kagome laughed. If that wasn't suppose to be taken as a joke, she would have had a major problem, but she was grateful that her daughter got a sense of humor.

"You inherited that from Inuyasha, too." She said. Sakura looked up at her mother.

"I did?" She said, some what excitedly. Kagome smiled.

"You did." Sakura's face brighened. Her lips curled upward. "You can have that picture of him, Sakura."

"You don't want it.

"You can keep it. I'll always have your father in my heart." Sakura grinned.

"Thanks, mama." She said as she wrapped her little arms around Kagome's neck. Kagome smiled.

"Do you know why your name is Sakura?" She asked as her daughter pulled away.

"No."

"Your father gave you that name. He told me that it was his first thought of you. A precious, little flower. 'Sakura' means flower." Kagome saw her daugher beam and laughed lightly. "We need to go inside. I have to start cooking." Sakura stood up and looked upon Inuyasha's grave once again. Kagome stood behind her and put her hands on her daughter's shoulders. _I hope that I gave you justice, Inuyasha. You certainly deserve more words than I can offer. _A cherry blossom fell from a nearby tree and landed in Kagome's hair. Sakura looked up and smirked, much like Inuyasha did.

"I'll race you inside, mama." She said as she took of toward the house. Kagome ran after the little girl, who was giggling as she ran.


End file.
